JP2022035381A - Image printing system and program, and manufacturing method of image - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an image printing system and a program capable of printing a plane image with a stereoscopic effect close to an original stereoscopic subject, and a manufacturing method of images.SOLUTION: Image printing system 10, 11 includes a light source that irradiates a subject with light, a photographing unit that acquires reflected light reflected by the subject as an input image, an editing unit 140 that corrects the input image acquired by the photographing unit and generates a correction image which is a plane image, and a printing unit 160 that prints the correction image. For the correction image, a first input image including first shading information as shading information and a second input image including second shading information different from the first shading information are synthesized.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for editing an image of a stereoscopic subject captured by a scanner to create and print a planar image having a stereoscopic effect.

In recent years, there has been an increasing need to print a flat image that realistically reproduces the wood grain pattern of wallpaper and the fine irregularities seen on the surface of Japanese paper, and distribute it as leaflets and pamphlets that have the ability to attract customers. For example, in Patent Document 1, a multi-angle scanner configured so that the posture of the reading head can be adjusted so that the optical axis of the reading optical system of the reading head can be adjusted to a desired corresponding angle with respect to the mounting table of the subject. Proposed. As a result, the corresponding angle of the optical axis of the reading optical system with respect to the scanned surface of the subject can be appropriately changed, the optimum reading direction for the uneven portion of the subject can be obtained, and the delicate facial expression of the subject can be accurately captured. It is described that realistic image data can be output.

Further, Patent Document 2 describes a three-dimensional scanner capable of acquiring an image of a three-dimensional subject without causing color saturation or the like in a shadow generated in a portion having high saturation or brightness in the three-dimensional subject. In the stereoscopic scanner, the brightness on the median side, which occupies most of the image, becomes the brightness when the exposure amount is almost predetermined, and the image gives a natural impression as a whole. As a result, it is said that it is possible to prevent the shadow on the high luminance side from disappearing due to color saturation as much as possible.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2009-182995 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2014-11505

Even with the image obtained as described above, a sufficient stereoscopic effect may not be obtained. The present disclosure has been made in view of such a situation, and provides an image printing system and a program capable of printing a flat image having a stereoscopic effect close to that of the original stereoscopic subject, and a method for manufacturing an image. Is the subject.

The image printing system according to the present embodiment is an image printing system that prints a flat image including shadow information corresponding to a subject, and a light source that irradiates the subject with light and reflected light reflected by the subject. A photographing unit acquired as an input image, an editing unit for correcting the input image acquired by the photographing unit to create a corrected image which is a flat image, and a printing unit for printing the corrected image are provided. The corrected image is characterized in that a first input image including a first shadow information as shadow information and a second input image including a second shadow information different from the first shadow information are combined. And.

In the image printing system according to another embodiment of the present embodiment, the first input image and the second input image are described in a state in which the irradiation conditions of the light of the light source to the subject or the shooting conditions of the shooting unit are different from each other. It may be acquired by the photographing unit.

Further, in the image printing system according to another embodiment of the present embodiment, the shooting condition is a state in which the shooting unit is tilted by a predetermined angle so as to be line-symmetric with respect to the normal direction of the main surface of the subject. You may.

Further, in the image printing system according to another embodiment of the present embodiment, the corrected image may be corrected so that the radius of the unsharp mask is 1.0 pixel or less.

Further, in the image printing system according to another embodiment of the present embodiment, the subject is composed of a first article and a second article having different materials or colors overlapping each other, and the subject is formed through the opening of the first article. A part of the second article may be visible.

Further, in the image printing system according to another embodiment of the present embodiment, the corrected image may form a developed view of a three-dimensional article.

Further, the image manufacturing method according to the present embodiment is a method of manufacturing an image for printing a flat image including shadow information corresponding to a subject, in which the subject is irradiated with light from a light source and the subject is used. A step of acquiring the reflected reflected light as an input image by the photographing unit, an editing step of correcting the input image acquired by the photographing unit to create a corrected image which is a flat image, and printing the corrected image. The corrected image includes a first input image including a first shadow information as shadow information, and a second input image including a second shadow information different from the first shadow information. Is characterized by being synthesized.

Further, the program according to the present embodiment is a program for realizing a computer to manufacture an image for printing a flat image including shadow information corresponding to a subject, and has a function of irradiating the subject with light from a light source. A function of acquiring the reflected light reflected by the subject as an input image by the photographing unit, an editing function of correcting the input image acquired by the photographing unit to create a corrected image which is a flat image, and the above. A printing function for printing a corrected image is provided, and the corrected image includes a first input image including a first shadow information as shadow information and a second shadow information different from the first shadow information. It is characterized in that it is combined with the second input image.

According to the present embodiment, it is possible to provide an image printing system and a program capable of printing a planar image having a stereoscopic effect close to that of the original stereoscopic subject, and a method for manufacturing an image.

It is a system block diagram of the image printing system which concerns on 1st and 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure explaining the structure of the scanner of the image printing system which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is the acquisition flow of the input image of the image printing system of this disclosure. It is a formation flow of a plane image including the shadow information of the image printing system of this disclosure. It is a figure explaining the composition of the input image including the shadow information. It is a figure explaining image correction. It is a figure explaining the structure of the scanner of the image printing system which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure explaining the change of the input image by the irradiation condition of the light of a light source. It is a figure explaining the change of the input image by the irradiation condition of the light of a light source. It is a figure explaining the output image for the subject which was formed by overlapping different articles.

Hereinafter, an example of the image printing system and program of the present disclosure and an image manufacturing method will be described with reference to drawings and the like. However, the image printing system and the like of the present disclosure are not limited to the embodiments and examples described below.

In addition, each figure shown below is shown schematically. Therefore, the size and shape of each part are exaggerated as appropriate to facilitate understanding. Further, in each figure, hatching showing a cross section of the member is omitted as appropriate. Numerical values and material names such as dimensions of each member described in the present specification are examples of embodiments, and are not limited thereto, and can be appropriately selected and used. In the present specification, terms that specify a shape or a geometric condition, such as parallel, orthogonal, and vertical, are used to include substantially the same state in addition to the exact meaning.

1. 1. First Embodiment The first embodiment of the image printing system of the present disclosure will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the image printing system 10 according to the first embodiment has a configuration in which a scanner 110, a printer 190, and an information processing apparatus 160 are mainly connected to each other via a network 200 so as to be communicable. The network 200 may be a dedicated line, a wired or wireless LAN, a mobile phone line, the Internet, or the like. Hereinafter, the configuration of each part of the image printing system 10 will be described.

(A) Configuration of Image Printing System (i) Scanner The scanner 110 has a function of irradiating a subject with light and detecting the intensity of the reflected light one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally. Then, by converting this result into a digital value, an input image which is a plane image corresponding to the subject is acquired. 2A is a schematic perspective view illustrating the structure of the scanner 111 of the first embodiment, and FIG. 2B is a side view of the scanner 111 of FIG. 2A as viewed from the + Y axis direction. be.

Here, for convenience of explaining the scanner 111, an XYZ coordinate system is provided. In the scanner 111, an X-axis is provided along the relative moving direction of the line scanner 221 and the mounting table 241. The side from the line scanner 221 before shooting toward the mounting table 241 is the + X direction side, and the opposite side is -X. On the direction side. Further, a Y axis is provided in the width direction of the line scanner 221 orthogonal to the X axis and the vertical direction, and the side facing to the right when the line scanner 221 is viewed from the mounting table 241 before shooting is set to the + Y direction side, and the opposite side is set to the + Y direction side. -Y direction side. Further, the Z axis is provided in the vertical direction, the upper side is the + Z direction side, and the lower side is the −Z direction side.

As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the scanner 111 in the image printing system 10 of the first embodiment has a light source 120 composed of an external light 121 and an internal light 122 and between the light sources 120. The line scanner 221 to be arranged is provided. Further, it is provided with a mounting table 241 for mounting the subject 310, a support table 231 for supporting the mounting table 241 and a housing 211 surrounding them. In the present embodiment, the light source 120 and the line scanner 221 are integrally fixed to a frame (not shown), and when the subject 310 is photographed, the light source 120 and the line scanner 221 are positioned at the position A shown in FIG. 2 (b). Can be translated along the X-axis from. Then, the translation can be performed via the position B directly above the subject 310 and further to the position C past the end of the subject 310.

The minimum components of the scanner 111 are the light source 120 and the line scanner 221 as long as the light source 120 and the line scanner 221 satisfy the condition of being translated relative to the subject 310 at the same time. That is, the mounting table 241 and the support table 231 and the housing 211 are unnecessary as long as these requirements are satisfied.

The line scanner 221 is an example of the photographing unit 220, and is a line CCD in which CCD elements are arranged along the Y-axis direction. The line scanner 221 converts the intensity of the reflected light from the received subject into digital data of 256-tone luminance values of RGB 3 colors for each CCD element along the Y-axis direction and outputs the digital data to the outside. Further, by moving the line scanner 221 together with the light source 120 at a constant speed along the X axis, it is possible to output the intensity data of the reflected light of each part configured in a matrix corresponding to the entire surface of the subject 310 to the outside. can. The area or the length of one side of one square or rectangular section, which is the minimum unit of each part, or this one section is referred to as 1pixel.

Here, the line scanner 221 is viewed along the Y-axis direction as shown in FIGS. 2 (c), (d), and (e), which are enlarged views of the vicinity of the line scanner 221 of FIG. 2 (b). The inclination of the subject 310 with respect to the subject 310 can be changed. First, the irradiation light Lin 11 is incident on the subject 310 from a light source 120 such as a white fluorescent lamp or a white LED light. At this time, when the head of the line scanner 221 is not tilted with respect to the vertical direction orthogonal to the main surface of the mounting table 241 as shown in FIG. 3C, the CCD element of the line scanner 221 reflects in the + Z direction. The optical Lout 11 can be captured.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3D, when the head of the line scanner 221 is tilted counterclockwise by an angle θ1 with respect to the vertical direction, among the reflected light from the irradiation light Lin 11 that hits the subject 310, The CCD element of the line scanner 221 can capture Lout 12, which is a component tilted by an angle θ1. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 3E, even when the head of the line scanner 221 is tilted clockwise by an angle θ2 with respect to the vertical direction, the reflected light from the irradiation light Lin 11 is tilted by an angle θ2. The component Lout 13 can be taken in by the CCD element of the line scanner 221.

As described above, since the head of the line scanner 221 can be installed at an angle with respect to the vertical direction, the CCD element of the line scanner 221 can take in the reflected light in the oblique direction from the subject 310. Therefore, the input image of the subject 310 can be captured in a state where the shadow of the three-dimensional subject 310 is emphasized, which is effective in acquiring an image having a three-dimensional effect. In the present embodiment, the input image of the subject 310 is acquired by moving the line scanner 221 in parallel with the light source 120 at a constant speed along the X axis. However, the line scanner 221 and the light source 120 may be fixed, and instead, the subject 310 side may be translated along with the mounting table 241 along the X axis at a constant speed.

Further, the scanner 111 has a pair of internal lights 122 as light sources 120 at two locations on the + X direction side and the −X direction side near the line scanner 221 when viewed along the X axis. Further, a pair of outdoor lights 121 are also provided as light sources 120 at two locations on the + X direction side and the −X direction side on the side farther from the line scanner 221 than the inner light 122. The inner light 122 and the outer light 121 are arranged so as to extend in the Y axis in parallel with the line scanner 221.

In order to reliably capture the shadow of the three-dimensional subject 310 with the line scanner 221, it is effective to tilt the head of the line scanner 221 with respect to the vertical direction as described above, but it is effective to install the pair of interior lights 122. It is also effective to change the irradiation conditions of the pair of outdoor lamps 121 at a total of four locations.

The irradiation condition is a selection condition for which of the four light sources 120 to be turned on and which light is turned off. The number of adjustable lights of the light source 120 is not limited to four, and may be composed of only a pair of internal lights or outdoor lights, or an additional additional light may be added. It is preferable that the light sources 120 are arranged at substantially symmetrical positions with the line scanner 221 interposed therebetween. By changing the irradiation conditions, it is possible to acquire an input image in which the shadow formation positions of the subject 310 are opposite to each other, and it is possible to synthesize an image that emphasizes the stereoscopic effect.

As the scanner 111 having the above functions, for example, MEGAMACH manufactured by Newly Co., Ltd. can be mentioned.

(Ii) Information Processing Device The information processing device 160 is, for example, a personal computer, and as shown in FIG. 1, includes a control unit 130, a display unit 180, an operation unit 170, a storage unit 150, an editing unit 140, and the like. ing. However, the information processing device 160 is a personal computer or a smartphone, and the server side may have functions such as the control unit 130, the storage unit 150, and the editing unit 140 described above. In this case, the information processing apparatus 160 as a client terminal can execute the functions of the operation unit 170 and the display unit 180 through the application software provided by the server.

The control unit 130 is schematically composed of a CPU and an MPU, and is an instruction to acquire an input image to the scanner 111, a print instruction to the printer 190, and a storage unit 150 of an image edited by the editorial unit 140. It performs various controls such as storage instructions to the printer, reading of stored images and data, and power supply control. Further, the function of the control unit 130 may be realized as hardware, or may be realized by executing a program such as an application program.

The storage unit 150 mainly has a function of storing various data for inputting / outputting image information, setting data, and the like with the control unit 130 and the editing unit 140. The storage unit 150 is composed of a non-volatile rewritable memory (NVM) such as a ROM, a RAM, and a flash memory. The ROM stores the BIOS, the OS, and the like, which are startup programs of the CPU and the like of the control unit 130, and the RAM is used as a temporary working memory of the CPU and the like. The NVM is used for storing image information such as input images and corrected images, storing various application programs and parameters, and storing variable information for holding data in various data tables and databases.

The operation unit 170 is, for example, an input device such as a keyboard, a mouse, a stylus, and a touch panel. As a result, the operation unit 170 can instruct the scanner 111 to acquire the input image, display the input image on the display unit 180, edit the image on the editing unit 140, and instruct the printer 190 to print. Further, the operation unit 170 has a function as an input interface such as setting and instructing the scanning condition such as the moving speed of the scanner 111 and the irradiation condition of the light source 120.

The display unit 180 is a display that displays an input image, a correction image, various setting screens, and the like output via the control unit 130 and the editing unit 140.

The editing unit 140 has a function of performing image processing such as image composition, contour enhancement, contrast adjustment, and saturation adjustment on the input image and the edited edited image. The editorial unit 140 performs these processes based on the instructions of the operation unit 170, and displays the result on the display unit 180 via the control unit 130 or saves the result in the storage unit 150. The function of the editing unit 140 may be shared by a CPU or MPU that realizes the function of the control unit 130 described above, or may have a separate dedicated engine for image processing. Further, the function of the editorial unit 140 may be realized as hardware, or may be realized by executing a program such as an application program.

(Iii) Printer The printer 190 is a printing unit in the image printing system 10, and is, for example, an electrostatic photo printing machine such as an inkjet printing machine or a laser beam printer, an offset printing machine, a gravure printing machine, or the like. The printer 190 is preferably a high-resolution printer capable of reproducing the resolution of the corrected image created by the image printing system 10.

(B) Operation of the image printing system Next, the operation of the image printing system 10 of the first embodiment will be described mainly with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

(I) Acquisition of input image First, various conditions of the scanner 110 are set. The three-dimensional subject 310 is mounted on the mounting table 241, the arrangement of the line scanner 221 and the light source 120 is tentatively determined, and the input image corresponding to the subject 310 is acquired with various set values set to the default values. That is, the line scanner 221 and the light source 120 are translated along the X direction to capture an image corresponding to the subject 310. Then, while confirming this result on the display unit 180, various conditions for acquiring the optimum input image for the subject 310 are set again.

For example, it is necessary to adjust the exposure amount of the line scanner 221 to an appropriate value so that the luminance is not saturated for some pixels of the input image. When the luminance gradation is saturated in the high-luminance portion or the low-luminance portion of the input image, the contrast of the portion of the subject 310 becomes unclear, and the shadow information indicated by the shadow becomes unclear or disappears. Because there is a possibility. The shadow information refers to a shadow indicating a three-dimensional element of the subject 310 in the input image, that is, information indicating that the shadow is a shadow.

Further, as a particularly important setting, it is necessary to set the irradiation conditions of the light source 120 or the shooting conditions such as the mounting angle of the line scanner 221 to the frame so that the input image for the subject 310 has appropriate shadow information. There is (step S601). This is because the input image has appropriate shadow information, which contributes to the effective stereoscopic effect of the final composite image. The irradiation conditions and the imaging conditions at this time are collectively referred to as the first condition.

Next, under the first condition described above, the line scanner 221 is scanned, an image corresponding to the subject 310 is taken, and this is acquired as an input image (step S602). The input image is used as the first input image. Specifically, the first input image is stored in the storage unit 150 according to the instruction of the control unit 130.

Subsequently, the irradiation condition and the photographing condition of the subject 310 are reset as a second condition different from the above-mentioned first condition (step S603, step S605). Then, under this condition, the input image for the subject 310 is acquired again (step S602). Here, the second condition does not have to be simply a condition different from the first condition. That is, when the input image acquired under the second condition is used as the second input image, the second input image needs to have different shading information with respect to the first input image. As a result, the first input image and the second input image have different shading information from each other. Therefore, when the shading information of the first input image and the second input image are combined, it is normal. An image with an effective three-dimensional effect, which cannot be obtained by shooting in the above, can be obtained.

As described above, the acquisition operation of the input image is completed by acquiring two input images having at least two irradiation conditions and shooting conditions in which the shadow information is different from each other. However, three or more input images may be acquired (step S604). In this case, the operations of steps S605 and S602 may be repeated. It is preferable that the shadow information is different from each other in all of these three or more input images, but it is sufficient that the shadow information is different from each other in at least two input images.

(Ii) Formation of a plane image including shadow information In order to form a plane image including shadow information, two or more input images acquired by the scanner 111 are combined with an image and contour enhancement by using the function of the editorial unit 140. Performs various image processing such as contrast adjustment and saturation adjustment. Specifically, the operator uses the display unit 180 and the operation unit 170 as an interface to perform interactively necessary editing work, that is, image processing work. In this embodiment, Photoshop (registered trademark) of Adobe, which is a ready-made application program, is used as a function of the editorial unit 140 to edit these. However, editing may use other application programs, or those that realize these functions in hardware may be used.

First, a process of synthesizing all or a part of two or more input images acquired by the scanner 111 so as to include the respective shadow information is performed (step S611). For example, synthesizing a second input image with a first input image means that a part of the second input image is cut out into a region of a predetermined shape, and this is combined with the predetermined shape at an arbitrary place of the first input image. It is to replace with a region of the same shape. This can be done on Photoshop® using the function of layer masks. Here, when a part of the area excluding the shadow information of one input image is replaced with a part of another input image having the same shape, the part of the other input image contains the shadow information. , It is possible to bring out the stereoscopic effect of the combined image. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the composition of images including shadow information.

FIG. 5A is a diagram showing an input image 400 corresponding to a subject 310 in a convex state, in which a round-shaped design portion on the left side and a triangular-shaped design portion on the right side project in the + Z direction with respect to the base. .. In this figure, the design part is not shaded and there is no three-dimensional effect. On the other hand, FIG. 5B is a diagram showing an input image 401 corresponding to the subject 310 when the light source 120 is arranged on the −Y direction side of the subject 310. In this figure, shadows 510 are formed in the design portion on the + Y direction side opposite to the light source 120, respectively, to have a three-dimensional effect.

Further, FIG. 5 (c) is a diagram showing an input image 402 corresponding to the subject 310 when the light source 120 is arranged on the + Y direction side of the subject 310 as opposed to FIG. 5 (b). In this figure, shadows 520 are formed in the design portion on the −Y direction side opposite to the light source 120, respectively, to give a three-dimensional effect. The irradiation condition for the subject 310 in FIG. 5B is the first condition, and the irradiation condition for the subject 310 in FIG. 5C is the second condition. At this time, the arrangement position of the light source 120 under the first condition and the arrangement position of the light source 120 under the second condition are positions facing each other with the subject 310 in between. That is, the arrangement of the light sources 120 under both conditions when viewed from the subject 310 is a position symmetrical with respect to the XZ plane passing through the subject 310.

The input image 401 and the input image 402 acquired under such conditions are combined so as to include each other's shadow information. That is, while leaving the shadow information of the input image 401 including the shadow information composed of the shadow 510, a part of the region including the shadow information composed of the shadow 520 of the input image 402 is a part of the same shape of the input image 401. Replace with region. As a result, as shown in FIG. 5D, a synthesized corrected image 420 having shadow information composed of shadows 530 on both the −Y direction side and the + Y direction side of the design portion, that is, the shadow information is included. Obtain a planar image. Further, it can be output to a printer as an output image 440 after undergoing other corrections.

As described above, as a method of forming a shadow on the input image, it is effective not only to arrange the light source 120 but also to adjust the inclination of the line scanner 221. For example, as shooting conditions, a third condition and a third condition in which the line scanner 221 is fixed in a state of being tilted by a predetermined angle so as to be line-symmetrical with each other along the scanning direction with respect to the normal direction of the main surface of the subject 310. Determine the conditions of 4. This also makes it possible to acquire an input image in which the shadows generated on the subject 310 are emphasized in opposite directions, as in the first condition and the second condition described above.

As shown in FIG. 5D, by forming a corrected image in which shading information is symmetrically added vertically or horizontally to a plurality of directions, particularly linear axes such as the X-axis and the Y-axis, only one direction is provided. It is possible to obtain a planar image including the shadow information in which the stereoscopic effect of the subject 310 is more emphasized as compared with the image having the shadow information. Further, by synthesizing the shadow information in the diagonal direction in addition to this, the three-dimensional effect can be further emphasized. However, depending on the state of the subject, if the shadow information is combined too much, the reality may decrease. Therefore, it is necessary to appropriately adjust the degree of composition according to the properties of the subject.

Next, contour enhancement, contrast adjustment, saturation adjustment, etc. are performed (step S612). The contour enhancement enhances the contour of each part of the subject 310 in the input image. A portion of the image in which the difference in brightness between adjacent pixels is equal to or greater than a predetermined value is regarded as a contour, and processing is performed to increase the difference in brightness between a fixed region outside and inside the contour. In Photoshop (registered trademark), the processing is performed by setting a parameter of the radius of the unsharp mask used for the contour enhancement processing.

Here, regarding image correction for obtaining a plane image including shadow information, an editing process of these images will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6A is the original input image 408. The level of the highlight part and the shadow part of the input image 408 is corrected by using the level correction function of Photoshop (registered trademark). Further, the hue and saturation can be appropriately adjusted while displaying the image in the same manner. The corrected image 421 of FIG. 6B is obtained by correcting the contrast, saturation, and the like in this way. FIG. 6 (c) shows a histogram of the luminance distribution which is the input level in FIG. 6 (b), and FIG. 6 (d) is a display showing an output level in which the contrast range is expanded from level 0 to 255.

It is particularly preferable to use an unsharp mask with a setting of 1.0 pixel or less for the corrected image 421 of FIG. 6 (b), as shown in FIG. 6 (c), in order to obtain a planar image including shading information. It is to emphasize the outline. By setting this range, it is possible to emphasize the outline while reproducing the shadow caused by the fine unevenness of the subject 310 as faithfully as possible. FIG. 6C is a diagram showing a corrected image 422 in which contour enhancement is performed using an unsharp mask having a radius of 0.5pixel. As described above, the input image 408 of FIG. 6A is converted into a corrected image 422 as a plane image including shadow information whose contour, unevenness, and color tone are adjusted through contour enhancement, contrast adjustment, saturation adjustment, and the like. Can be finished. Other corrections may be added as appropriate.

As a result, the printer 190 can print a corrected image obtained by synthesizing all or a part of two or more input images and performing various corrections such as contour enhancement (step S613). Printing by the printer 190 is executed by the editing unit 140 or the control unit 130 transmitting a print instruction signal to the printer 190 based on the input from the operation unit 170.

As described above, the image printing system 10 of the first embodiment is a line that is a light source 120 that irradiates a three-dimensional subject 310 with light and a photographing unit 220 that acquires the reflected light reflected by the subject 310 as an input image. A scanner 221 and a scanner 111 composed of the scanner 221 are provided. Further, it further includes an editing unit 140 that corrects an input image acquired by the line scanner 221 to create a corrected image that is a plane image including shadow information, and a printer 190 that prints the corrected image. In the corrected image, a first input image including the first shadow information as shadow information and a second input image including a second shadow information different from the first shadow information are combined. As a result, it is possible to print a flat image including shadow information in which the stereoscopic effect of the subject 310 is more emphasized, as compared with printing one input image having shadow information in only one direction.

Therefore, it is possible to print a two-dimensional image having a three-dimensional effect close to that of the original three-dimensional subject, and it is possible to express a three-dimensional effect close to a three-dimensional sample even though it is a two-dimensional image. This makes it possible to improve the advertising effect of leaflets, pamphlets and the like. Furthermore, as the final output product, it is possible to mass-produce three-dimensional products that could be prototyped or manufactured in small lots but were difficult to mass-produce, as if they were visually reproduced. Become.

2. 2. Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment of the image printing system of the present disclosure will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the image printing system 11 according to the second embodiment has the same system configuration as the image printing system 10 according to the first embodiment. Since the only difference between the two systems is the configuration of the scanner 110, this point will be mainly described.

(A) Scanner Configuration FIG. 7 (a) is a schematic perspective view illustrating the structure of the scanner 112 of the second embodiment, and FIG. 7 (b) shows the scanner 112 of FIG. 7 (a) in the + Y-axis direction. It is a side view seen from. The scanner 112 is also provided with the same XYZ coordinate system as that set for the scanner 111 for convenience of explanation.

As shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the scanner 112 in the image printing system 11 of the second embodiment is a light source composed of an outer light 123 and an inner light 124 in which four lights are arranged in a rectangular shape. It comprises a single-lens reflex camera 222 arranged between the 120 and these light sources 120. Further, it is provided with a mounting table 242 for mounting the subject 310, a support table 232 for supporting the mounting table 242, and a housing 212 surrounding them. In the present embodiment, the light source 120 and the single-lens reflex camera 222 are integrally fixed to a frame (not shown), and the light source 120, the single-lens reflex camera 222, and the mounting table 242 do not move even when the subject 310 is photographed. This point is different from the scanner 111 of the first embodiment.

The minimum components of the scanner 112 are the light source 120 and the single-lens reflex camera 222, and the mounting base 242, the support base 232, and the housing 212 are unnecessary.

The single-lens reflex camera 222 is an example of the photographing unit 220, and is a two-dimensional CCD in which CCD elements are arranged in a matrix on an XY plane. Therefore, in the present embodiment, it is not necessary for the photographing unit 220 to scan in one direction in order to acquire the input image. In this case as well, the single-lens reflex camera 222 converts the intensity of the reflected light from the received subject into digital data of 256-tone luminance values of RGB 3 colors for each CCD element arranged along the XY plane to the outside. Can be output.

In the scanner 112, the mounting angle of the single-lens reflex camera 222 cannot be changed, and only the irradiation condition of which light of the light source 120 is selectively turned on can be arbitrarily changed. That is, by selecting a lighting pattern of a total of eight lights, that is, the outer light 123 and the inner light 124 in which each of the four lights is arranged in a rectangular shape, it is possible to acquire a plurality of input images having different shadow information. As shown in FIG. 7B, the incident angle of the light from the light source 120 with respect to the subject 310 when viewed along the Y-axis direction is different between the outer light 123 and the inner light 124. Since the irradiation light Lin 21 of the outer light 123 is incident from a point lower than that of the inner light 124, it tends to relatively emphasize the shadow of the subject 310.

In this way, the scanner 112 can mainly change only the irradiation conditions, and selects which of the eight light sources 120, the outer light 123 and the inner light 124, is turned on and which light is turned off. This makes it possible to acquire a plurality of input images including shadow information different from each other.

For example, FIGS. 8 and 9 show a contrast display of the lighting condition of the light source 120 and the input image acquired under the condition in the scanner 112. FIG. 8A is a diagram showing only the arrangement of the light source 120 as viewed from the + Z direction in FIG. 7A, and one light and the inner light 124 on the −X direction side of the hatched outdoor light 123. It shows that one light on the -X direction side and two lights in total are lit. As a result, as shown in FIG. 8B, the input image 403 obtained by photographing the embossed paper having an uneven surface as a subject has shadow information on the + X direction side.

On the other hand, FIG. 8C shows one lamp on the −X direction side and one lamp on the −Y direction side of the outdoor lamp 123, and one lamp on the −X direction side and one lamp on the −Y direction side of the inner lamp 124. It shows that a total of 4 lights are lit. As a result, as shown in FIG. 8D, the input image 404 obtained for the embossed paper has shadow information on the + X direction side and the + Y direction side.

Further, FIGS. 9 (b) and 9 (d) are input images obtained by photographing Japanese paper, and FIG. 9 (a) shows one light on the −X direction side of the outer light 123 and the −X direction side of the inner light 124. It shows that one light and a total of two lights are lit. As a result, as shown in FIG. 9B, the input image 405 obtained for Japanese paper has shadow information on the + X direction side, but the shadow is not emphasized as much as the above-mentioned embossed paper.

Further, FIG. 9C shows one lamp on the −X direction side and one lamp on the −Y direction side of the outdoor lamp 123, and one lamp on the −X direction side and one lamp on the −Y direction side of the inner lamp 124. It shows that a total of 4 lights are lit. FIG. 9 (e) shows that all eight lights of the outer light 123 and the inner light 124 are lit. As a result, the input image 406 of FIG. 9D corresponding to the condition of FIG. 9C has shadow information on the + X direction side and the + Y direction side. Further, the input image 407 of FIG. 9 (f) corresponding to the condition of FIG. 9 (e) is effective in that the streaks of Japanese paper are clearly highlighted although there are few shadows. In this way, it is necessary to devise a method of shading depending on the material of the subject and the content to be emphasized.

As the scanner 112 having the above functions, for example, Surf3D manufactured by Metis can be mentioned.
(B) Operation of the image printing system Since the operation and operation of the image printing system 11 of the second embodiment are the same as those of the image printing system 10 of the first embodiment described above, the description thereof will be omitted.

3. 3. Target Subject The subject to which the image printing system of the present disclosure is applied is preferably a three-dimensional object to which the input image acquired by the scanner 110 contains shadow information composed of some kind of shadow. This is because it is necessary for the input image and the corrected image to have shading information in order to give a stereoscopic effect to the printed flat image. However, if the depth difference from the outermost surface, that is, the amount of dents is too large, it is difficult to input or edit the image. Therefore, it is preferable that the unevenness of the subject is generally 50 mm or less from the outermost surface.

Here, a three-dimensional object is not necessarily defined only by the degree of physical depth from the outermost surface of the subject, but a part of the outside is covered with a transparent film like an envelope, and a deeper place inside. Including those whose contents are arranged in. That is, even if there is little unevenness between the envelope surface and the transparent film surface, if the surface of the contents that can be seen through the transparent film is greatly recessed with respect to the envelope surface, the entire surface is regarded as a three-dimensional subject. be able to.

The subject to which the image printing system of the present disclosure is applied may be a single material such as embossed paper or Japanese paper exemplified in FIGS. 8 and 9, or a printed material thereof. However, it may be something like a combination of an envelope with a transparent or translucent film as described above and contents that are partially visible through the film. That is, the subject is such that the first article and the second article having different materials or colors are overlapped with each other so that a part of the second article can be visually recognized through the opening of the first article. preferable. For such a subject, the load of actually creating a leaflet, a pamphlet, etc. as a three-dimensional sample is higher than that of a normal subject, and the effect of making a two-dimensional image including shadow information capable of expressing a three-dimensional effect close to that of the three-dimensional sample is greater. Because.

As an example of an output image obtained by acquiring such a subject as an input image by the image printing system of the present disclosure, editing and printing the subject, three types of output images are displayed in FIG. However, it goes without saying that the subjects suitable for the application of the image printing system of the present disclosure are not limited to those corresponding to these output images. FIG. 10A is a diagram showing an output image 450 printed for a subject of a mail piece whose contents are partially visible. The output image 450 has an envelope-corresponding portion 451 corresponding to the outer envelope, a transparent window-corresponding portion 452 corresponding to a transparent window to which a substantially rectangular transparent film is attached at the center, and contents that can be visually recognized through the transparent window. It is provided with a content corresponding portion 453 corresponding to an object.

In such a subject, it is necessary to extract the shadow generated by the difference in depth between the envelope and the contents as the shadow information formed in the envelope corresponding portion 451 and the contents corresponding portion 453. Therefore, it is more important to appropriately select the light irradiation conditions of the scanner 111 and the photographing conditions of the photographing unit 220. The plurality of input images thus obtained can be printed as a flat image including shading information having a three-dimensional effect by image editing as described above. The transparent film in this case does not have to be completely transparent, and may be a cloudy glassine paper or a colored transparent film.

Further, FIG. 10B shows an output image assembly 460 assembled so as to actually approximate the box by using a printed output image as a developed view of a subject which is a box of a three-dimensional article whose contents can be partially visually recognized. It is a figure which shows. The output image assembly 460 is visible through the transparent window, the box-corresponding portion 461 corresponding to the outer box, the transparent window-corresponding portion 462 corresponding to the transparent window to which the substantially rectangular transparent film in the center is attached, and the transparent window. It is provided with a content corresponding portion 463 corresponding to the possible contents. In this way, it is possible not only to handle the output image as a flat image but also to assemble the output image as a developed view as a three-dimensional article. This makes it possible to further emphasize the stereoscopic effect of the overlapping portion of the first article and the second article having different materials or colors, which is a planar image portion including shadow information.

On the other hand, in FIG. 10 (c), the paper material on the front side and the paper material on the back side have different materials or colors, and the printed output is for a subject in which a part of these two sheets of paper material overlaps. It is a figure which shows the image 470. Cutouts are formed in a pattern on a part of the paper material on the front side, and the paper material on the back side can be visually recognized from the cutout portion. The output image 470 corresponds to the front side paper material corresponding portion 471 corresponding to the front side paper material, the back side paper material corresponding portion 472 corresponding to the back side paper material, and the cutout corresponding to the cutout formed portion. It comprises a portion 473 and.

Similar to the output image 450 of FIG. 10A, the output images 460 and 470 also have shadows caused by the difference in depth between the box and the contents, or the depth between the paper material on the front side and the paper material on the back side. It is necessary to extract the shading caused by the difference between the above as the shading information of the input image. This makes it possible to edit and print a developed view of a plane image including shadow information having a three-dimensional effect, or a plane image including shadow information.

The control processing and other processing of the information processing apparatus according to each embodiment of the present disclosure described above are the information processing of the program code constituting the software for realizing each function of the embodiment. It can also be achieved by reading and executing the device. Therefore, the program code itself and the storage medium in which the program code is recorded also constitute the present disclosure. Examples of the storage medium on which the program code is recorded include, but are not limited to, a hard disk, a USB memory, an SD (registered trademark) card, a CD-ROM, a CD-R, an IC card, and the like. ..

10, 11 Image printing system 110, 111, 112 Scanner 120 Light source 121, 123 External light 122, 124 Internal light 130 Control unit 140 Editing unit 150 Storage unit 160 Information processing device 170 Operation unit 180 Display unit 190 Printer 200 Network 211, 212 Body 220 Imaging unit 221 Line scanner 222 Single-lens reflex camera 231, 232 Support stand 241, 242 Mounting stand 310 Subject 400, 401, 402, 403, 404, 405, 406, 407, 408 Input image 420, 421, 422 Corrected image 440 , 450, 460, 470 Output image 451 Envelope compatible part 452 Transparent window compatible part 453 Contents compatible part 453a Character description part 460 Output image assembly 461 Box compatible part 462 Transparent window compatible part 461 Contents compatible part 471 Front side paper material Corresponding part 472 Back side paper material Corresponding part 473 Cutout Corresponding part 510, 520, 530 Shading

Claims (8)

It is an image printing system that prints a flat image including shadow information corresponding to the subject.
A light source that irradiates the subject with light,
A shooting unit that acquires the reflected light reflected by the subject as an input image, and
An editing unit that corrects the input image acquired by the photographing unit to create a corrected image that is a flat image, and an editing unit.
A printing unit for printing the corrected image is provided.
In the corrected image, a first input image including the first shadow information as the shadow information and a second input image including a second shadow information different from the first shadow information are combined. An image printing system that features it. The first input image and the second input image are acquired by the photographing unit in a state where the irradiation conditions of the light of the light source to the subject or the photographing conditions of the photographing unit are different from each other. The image printing system according to 1. The image printing system according to claim 2, wherein the shooting condition is a state in which the shooting unit is tilted by a predetermined angle so as to be line-symmetrical with respect to the normal direction of the main surface of the subject. The image printing system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the corrected image is corrected so that the radius of the unsharp mask is 1.0 pixel or less. The subject is composed of a first article and a second article having different materials or colors overlapping each other.
The image printing system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a part of the second article can be visually recognized through the opening of the first article. The image printing system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the corrected image forms a developed view of a three-dimensional article. It is a method of manufacturing an image that prints a flat image including shading information corresponding to the subject.
The process of irradiating the subject with light from a light source and
The process of acquiring the reflected light reflected by the subject as an input image by the photographing unit, and
An editing step of correcting the input image acquired by the photographing unit to create a corrected image which is a flat image, and
The process of printing the corrected image is provided.
In the corrected image, the first input image including the first shadow information as the shadow information and the second input image including the second shadow information different from the first shadow information are combined. A characteristic method for manufacturing images. It is a program to realize the production of an image that prints a flat image including shadow information corresponding to the subject on a computer.
The function of irradiating the subject with light from a light source and
A function to acquire the reflected light reflected by the subject as an input image by the photographing unit, and
An editing function that corrects the input image acquired by the photographing unit to create a corrected image that is a flat image, and
It has a printing function to print the corrected image.
In the corrected image, a first input image including a first shadow information as shadow information and a second input image including a second shadow information different from the first shadow information are combined. A featured program.

Images